THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress membership drive will be held from Sunday to May 15 in preparation for the organisational elections. Senior Congress leader A. K. Antony will officially inaugurate the state-level drive at his No. 92 booth at Jagathy ward by accepting his membership from acting KPCC president M. M. Hassan at 8 a.m. KPCC office-bearers, DCC presidents, MPs, MLAs, former ministers and MPs and other Congress leaders will accept their membership from their respective booth committees.
Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala told reporters after holding talks with party vice-president Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi on Saturday that a decision on the new KPCC president will be taken soon by the AICC based on consensus. “The AICC has been holding discussions with several leaders from the state on the appointment of a new KPCC chief. We discussed the organisational elections and also national politics,” said Mr Chennithala.
Mr Hassan and 12 DCC presidents had met the AICC leadership a few days ago. At that time, Mr Chennithala was busy with the Assembly session. The Congress high command would like former chief minister Oommen Chandy to become the KPCC president though he has rejected the proposal. Mr Shashi Tharoor MP had held talks with Mr Chandy on the issue, but could not change Mr Chandy’s mind. “The AICC cannot appoint anyone to the post now without the consent of Chandy,” a top Congress leader told DC.
